When recording a video on a VTR using a video camera, a plurality of cuts are continuously recorded on a tape according to a recording start operation and a recording stop operation.
In a worksite of an editing operation where desired cuts are found out from recorded video materials and rearranged, a workflow has been changing rapidly from a conventional linear editing using a VTR and a Switcher to a computer-based non-linear editing.
When performing the non-linear editing, the video material on the tape is once retrieved on the computer as a video file; the video file is then rearranged by editing software. In this case, since a plurality of cuts are continuously arranged on the tape, if a video signal is simply downloaded to the computer, a plurality of cuts will be retrieved as one video file.
Accordingly, it is necessary to start the editing operation from separating one video file for every cut to divide it into separate video files.
For this reason, operation efficiency is reduced in many cases.
Therefore, a technique of automatically detecting a change between scenes from a video file including a plurality of cuts to automatically divide it into video files for respective cuts (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 05-290549 official gazette), and a technique of automatically detecting a point where a time code value of a video signal becomes discontinuous to record video files separately (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 09-46648 official gazette) are considered.
Incidentally, the entire disclosure of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 05-290549 official gazette and the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 09-46648 official gazette are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
However, with the technique of automatically detecting a change between the scenes mentioned above, not only a process for automatic division requires a considerable time, but also there may be a case where the cut division is mistaken because a change between scenes with extremely few motions cannot be well detected. In addition, with the technique of automatically detecting the point where a time code value of a video signal becomes discontinuous, since a time code remains continuous even if cuts change, when a time code generator of the video camera is RECRUN during picture taking, there may be a case where the discontinuity of the time code value cannot be well detected.
The present inventor has found that development of a system which can automatically generate a video file for every cut more accurately is strongly required, corresponding to the non-linear editing which has been a mainstream in conjunction with a rapid progress of a computer technology.